Carolina announces 2016 University Teaching Awards

Michael Crimmins is the nominee for the Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award. (photo by Lars Sahl)
Michael Crimmins is the nominee for the Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award. (photo by Lars Sahl)

Twenty-four instructors and teaching assistants have been named winners of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s 2016 University Teaching Awards. The recipients, recently announced by Chancellor Carol L. Folt and Provost James W. Dean, Jr., will be recognized at center court during halftime at the Carolina vs. Pittsburgh men’s basketball game on Feb. 14. A spring banquet will also be held to honor the winners on April 5.

The University Committee on Teaching Awards encourages students to nominate deserving faculty and graduate teaching assistants for the awards and oversees the selection process. The committee chooses recipients who promote the value of undergraduate teaching by example; demonstrate concern for students through interaction and approachability inside and outside the classroom; create meaningful learning experiences; and maintain high expectations of their students.

“Strong student-teacher connections are central to the success of our University,” said Dean.“Carolina takes great pride in the depth and breadth of its talented faculty, and it is especially gratifying when students play a role in recognizing the outstanding contributions our teachers make to their lives.”

This year, the committee recommended recipients for six types of awards, five for instructors and one for teaching assistants. The full list of winners follows:

Board of Governors’ Award for Excellence in Teaching, Nominee

  • Michael Crimmins, Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences

Distinguished Teaching Awards for Post-Baccalaureate Instruction

  • Michael Jay, Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy
  • Daniel Bauer, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Jonathan Juliano, School of Medicine
  • Marc Lange, Department of Philosophy, College of Arts and Sciences

 Tanner Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching

  • Penny Abernathy, School of Media and Journalism
  • JoAnn Sciarrino, School of Media and Journalism
  • Domenic Tiani, Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Michelle Robinson, Department of American Studies, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Gidi Shemer, Department of Biology, College of Arts and Science

Carlyle Sitterson Freshman Teaching Award

  • Arne Kalleberg, Department of Sociology, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Charles Szypszak, School of Government

Mentor Award for Lifetime Achievement

  • Jeanne Moskal, Department of English and Comparative Literature, College of Arts and Sciences

William C. Friday/Class of 1986 Award for Excellence in Teaching

  • Jeffrey Johnson, Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences

Johnston Teaching Excellence Awards

  • Kristen Lindquist, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Gabriel Trop, Department of Germanic and Slavic Languages and Literatures, College of Arts and Sciences

Chapman Family Teaching Awards

  • Dorothea Heitsch, Department of Romance Studies, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Jeannie Loeb, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Cara McComish, Department of Allied Health Sciences, School of Medicine

Tanner Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching by Graduate Teaching Assistants

  • Cicek Beeby, Department of Classics, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Noah Greifer, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Jayne Jeffries, Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health
  • Jonathan Foland, Department of Communication, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Reid Olsen, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine

For more information on the University Teaching Awards, including details on eligibility requirements, funding and winner compensation for each award, go to http://provost.unc.edu/teaching-awards/